Native American Man Who Attended Anti-Police Brutality Rally Is Killed By Police

Native American Man Who Attended Anti-Police Brutality Rally Is Killed By Police

A man who participated in an anti-police brutality march and rally in Rapid City, South Dakota, on Friday was shot and killed by police a day later, according to reports.

Rapid City Police identified the victim as Allen Locke, 30, of Rapid City. At about 6 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a subdivision known as Lakota Community Homes to remove a person from a residence there, the Rapid City Journal reported.

Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom, who was on site investigating the shooting, told the Rapid City Journal that Officer Anthony Meirose fired his weapon after Locke allegedly charged him with a knife. Police are saying Locke was shot up to five times by Officer Meirose. Locke was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Monday, Locke’s family released a statement calling on the community for peace.

“We genuinely appreciate the prayer vigils and ceremony circles that are being organized in Allen’s memory; this is a crucial time for our family as Allen is making his spirit journey,” the statement reads, as posted on Last Real Indians. “We feel the community’s hurt; we know you are angry, we know you are sad and we know everyone is on edge as a result of Allen’s violent death coming off the [sic] heals of his participation in the #NativeLivesMatter Anti-Police Brutality Rally and March a day before this horrific incident. There are many details that we will share in time but we are trying very hard to hold it together and to be strong and peaceful in order to send our loved one off and to give our children an appropriate holiday’s memory.”

The family is asking for privacy during their time of mourning.

On Monday, the victim’s family was scheduled to meet Rapid City Mayor Sam Kooiker and Police Chief Karl Jegeris at 10 a.m. MST. People were scheduled to gather outside the mayor’s office for a prayer gathering.

Both the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the shooting, according to the Associated Press.

Captain Dan Rud told reporters that tasing Locke was not an option. Officer Meirose is on administrative leave, according to FOX affiliate KEVN Black Hills.